Is College Really Worth It?

James C. Gonyea

Considering the high cost of a college education and the drain that expense can have on college studnets financial resources and future, I am often asked by college-bound students, "Is college really worth it?"

Here are 10 reasons you should pursue a college education:

1. Analytical thinking skills: Today's world is complex, and it requires making daily decisions about personal, economic, health, political, professional and social matters. Learning how to approach a decision, gather relevant facts, analyze comparative and contradictory data and draw correct conclusions are necessary skills for successful living. There is no better training ground to develop these skills than college.


2. Career beginnings: Significant knowledge is required to understand the nature of most occupations. College is usually the most effective way to acquire this knowledge. For many professions, a college education is a prerequisite for entering the field.


3. Career advancement: Many employers base promotion decisions on an employee's educational attainments. Whether or not a college education is truly required to handle the job is irrelevant. Employers need ways to rank employees, and a college education is an easily identifiable standard.


4. Financial gain: While there are notable exceptions, individuals with four-year college degrees earn more over their careers than people with less education do. The difference in lifetime earnings between a college graduate and a non-college graduate can amount to several million dollars.


5. Economic preparation: We all participate in a complex and continually changing economic environment, which requires some understanding of our economy. Where better to learn about managing your life's finances than in Economics 101?


6. Friends and spouses: Colleges, even non-residential institutions, bring disparate people together in one place. When individuals find themselves sharing similar experiences it's not surprising that lifelong friendships -- and life partnerships -- can develop. Networking within a profession often begins here too.


7. Life awareness: The next time you're in a group of people, step back and watch how they interact with each other. Humans are social animals -- we bond with each other through conversation and other activities. College serves an important role in preparing individuals for continuing social interaction.


8. Lifelong source of advice and information: Graduation from college doesn't mean you won't be back. Just the opposite. Today, colleges and universities are eager to keep in touch with alumni, some offering programs and services on both personal and professional issues.


9. Purpose in life: At some point, most of us wonder about our purpose in life -- why are we here and what should we be doing? An essential part of finding your way is understanding other possible paths. Colleges, by their nature, bring together people with different lifestyles, ideas and experiences. Beyond the opportunities for awareness offered by the classroom and social interaction, colleges also offer independent study and internship programs that can let you explore alternative paths to find the one best suited for you.


10. Self-actualization: Psychologist Abraham Maslow theorized that we humans have a need to be somebody, to feel important, useful and of value to others and society. This self-actualizing behavior can mean developing and applying knowledge over time to build expertise in a given subject. Becoming expert in one's chosen career field is one of life's greatest feelings of accomplishment. As we age and begin to satisfy the more basic needs in our lives, this need for self-actualization becomes more important. Lifelong learning is a key element in developing a sense of accomplishment, and a college education is the foundation for lifelong learning.

After 30-plus years of offering advice as a professional career counselor, I think my understanding of life is much better than it was when I was younger. I believe the old adage that with age comes wisdom, and on reflection I find that my college education -- BS in education and MS in guidance and counseling -- is worth more than I ever imagined.

Have a great day and God bless!

College Student Study Tips

Studying can be one of the most painful things to go through at college but if you learn some good methods and tips and can become your strong point in school.

Study Frequently and in Short Sessions

Test show that short periods of maximum concentration repeatedly is more benefical than studying for long periods at one time. 10 minutes of complete concentration is all you need and then you can take a break and come back to it again. Why does this work?

Our brains need to recover and reboot as the rest periods is when our brain assimilates our effort. These are very powerful tools that many teachers and college professors do not acknowledge to their students. Studying for hours on top of hours only put your brain in fatigue, stress, and distraction. Your learn will be minimum.

Take Guilt-Free Days of Rest

Resting your brain is very important as school and college can become stressful to even the elite college students that college is easy for them. Being able to take a day off without stress and worry will give your brain the needed time and energy to absorb new data. Really enjoy yourself on your days off and do something active that will exercise your body instead of your brain.

Know Your Emotional State

The best time to study is when you are relaxed and not tired, distracted, and in a hurry. Our brains are like a sponge when relax and easily absorbs information without effort. When you are emotionally stressed than our brain repels information you are studying leaving you with nothing for your hours of studying.

Same Day Review

Learning new things in class are fun but are often lost the next day. Don't let this happen to you and try to look over your notes from class the same day after a break and I promise you will begin to retain more information having studying time when exams or close to be at a minimum.

Set Study Routine

By having a schedule of studying for your classes will give you more time in doing the things you want like hanging out with friends. Getting more stuff during your study times will have your exam scores increasing and your relationships with others doing the same.

Don't waste time and get poor exam scores at college when you can be saving time and getting more done. The tips and methods are very easy and worth giving them a shot.

Have a great day and God bless!

Recieve More Financial Aid

Last year over $152 billion dollars were given away in grants from the government and other organizations for college students. So how to you get you share of the money?

1. Apply Now

Don't put this off until it is too late. Financial aid goes to those who ask for it first so if you wait you might miss your chance to get free money. The very first thing you should do is fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You might have to check with the college you are attending or are planning to attend for some needed information. The FAFSA is used by many college and private college in deciding the college students financial aid that he gets.

Many people believe they will not receive any financial aid but you should fill out the FAFSA anyway. It has been proven that eight million students missed out on receiving aid from the government and this even includes 1.5 million who have qualified for Pell Grants.

Filling out the FAFSA is the basics step for qualifying for many non-need based loans, such as Stafford Loans that have very low interest rates unlike private loans.

2. Check With Your State

Checking with your state can also be an option as they have tons of money going towards bettering there state. During 2004 to 2005 college students received $7.9 billion in financial aid from their state. These came in forms of grants and scholarships that were based on merit and financial need.

The first step is to fill out the FAFSA and then contact the appropriate state forms. Click here to find your state's programs.

3. Start Your Begging

Writing a paper on your financial situation might not help solve your money problem so let's try something else.Melissa Diana, a financial aid consultant who runs the Web site Tuition Physician, recommends writing a letter to the financial aid office detailing any situation, such as a future hospital stay, which will affect your budget in the following year. You need to tell the financial aid offices that future events will hinder your ability to afford college as they only know information form last year.

Even after you receive your financial aid letter you can appeal your case as more colleges will give money if they know you are accepted and are considering attending. This could be your way to get some more money for college if you are accepted into these programs.

4. Scholarship Search

The majority of financial aid is given out in grants and loans but scholarships can help you as well pay for your college tuition. There is more than $15 billion available for you in scholarships but you will never get it unless you apply for it. Start off at FastWeb.com as I believe they are one of the very best scholarship searchers online.

5. Best Loan Search

Loans make up about half of all financial aid but it is very important to be very careful on what loans to take out and who from as they can come out to be thousands more than the actual loan. Taking the time and searching out the very best loans with your college and yourself is the safest way to go when looking for student college loans.

Have a great day and God bless!

Top Internet scams exposed!

Here you will learn the truth about online money scams, and pointed to the trust worthy ones that could earn you money college.

Learn to avoid Government Grant Information Scams

You probably are here because you've seen ads on google or yahoo or msn like:

• Get Government Grants Free!
• Get Up To $250,000 From The Government!
• Free Government Grant CD
• Obtain Government Grants Today !
• Free Money From The Government

These ads seem to be everywhere. You will no doubt see several of these ads on forums, popular search engines, and possibly even on Television.

Why are there so many out there and why are they spending thousands of dollars advertising free money for college. Basically, they are selling us the promise of free money becaus eit if something we all need as college students to pay for our college education.

Isn't it possible to get grants from the Government?

Absolutely! There are several trust worthy companies that will send you information on how to apply for government grants. But the fact is that 99% of all people will be denied money from the government because they are scams.

These companies just take your money without helping you at all finding and getting grants for college.

To tell you the trust, most of these web sites offer you nothing more than the following:

• Old out dated web site and phone number information
• No help with filling out applications
• No organization, just a huge list of unsorted grant programs, with addresses
  
• No customer service or help available, sometimes not even an email address!
  
• No refunds. Most of these fly-by-night companies just take your money, and when they get enough complaints they simply close the site and start up a new one. (a common scam site tactic)
  
• Amateur web sites with broken links. (this is a dead give away to a scam site)
• Guarantees to get you a specific amount of grant money (no one can do this!)
• Guarantees to get you grants just by making a phone call (this is just not possible)
  

I have researched and looked further into some college grant programs and have discover only a couple are for real.

My absolute favorite is Uncle Sam's Money as it offers a free consulation with a grant start up specialist! Their grant specialist will tell you what grants you qualify for and help you through the application process step by step. This is a limited time offer though.

These companies have a good reputation and live up to that guarantee. This is excellent because you can try out these members areas for 2 months and if you don't like the results they will refund your money.

The Federal Government gives away billions of dollars every year to college students just like you and me. No matter what you need the money for the Government has a college grant for it. Do you want to start a small business? Did you just have a baby? Need to pay for college? Want to remodel your home? Want to buy a new home? The best part is you can get approved for as many grants as you qualify for and you never have to pay it back. As always I will keep you updated on my findings.

Have a great day and God bless!

Getting Grants For College Students

Grants are what every college student wants as they are just like colllege scholarships meaning you don't have to pay them back. This financial aid are usually awarded on the basis of financial need, unlike most scholarships, and come from the usual aid providers: the federal government, the states, the schools, private organizations and individuals.

In most cases, there are no separate applications for grants. When you submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Studetn Aid) you automatically apply for almost all forms of aid.

Federal Grants

The main players in the federal grant scene are the Pell Grant and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG). These grants go to families with exceptional financial need, and you apply for both by submitting a FAFSA. The only academic requirement for freshman applicants is that you graduate from high school or can document a comparable secondary education, such as a GED.

To keep the grant, you must maintain "satisfactory academic progress," which the government defines as C average. I wish it could be a little higher though.

Pell Grants.

The maximum award for the Pell Grant for 2006-2007 is $4,050, but this amount can change from year to year, depending on funding. How much you can get depends on your EFC (Expected Family Contribution) and the cost of attending the college at which you enroll. For example, a student would receive a Pell Grant of $400 if the EFC is $3,850, the maximum EFC for 2005-2006. Each school participating in the Pell Program receives enough money to pay the grant amounts its eligible students qualify for. Students who attend college less than fulltime can get partial Pell Grants.

Academic Competitiveness Grants and SMART Grants.

New for 2006-2007, these grants are open to qualified Pell Grant recipients. Academic Competitiveness Grants could give an extra $750 in the first year and $1,300 in the second year to Pell students who carry a B average and graduate from an academically challenging high school program. The SMART grant can give an additional $4,000 per year for Pell juniors and seniors who maintain a B average and major in science math, or a language of particular national interest.

FSEOGs.

FSEOGs are awarded to the students with the lowest EFC. Priority is given to those students who are also eligible for Pell Grants. FSEOGs are awarded based on the availability of FSEOG funds at the college. Not all colleges participate in the program. FSEOGs can range from $100 to $4,000, at the discretion of the college's financial aid office.

State Grants

Many states offer their own grant program. You must be a state resident and, in most cases, go to a state-supported public college (not required in California), be enrolled at least half time and, in some cases, maintain satisfactory academic progress. Such grants may be guaranteed to students with a specified grade point average or class ranking in high school.

They may also be earmarked for certain expenses, such as fees, books and supplies. In some states you apply by simply filling out the FAFSA. Other states have separate applications, usually available through the financial aid office.

School-Based and Private Grants

Most colleges, especially private colleges, award grants out of their own funds. They may appear quite similar to scholarships. The criteria are not always published, but colleges generally have the discretion to adjust the size of grants to financially needy students based on academic qualifications.

Many colleges also award grants to students regardless of financial need. Check with your college to find out the application process, if any.

Finally, private organizations, companies, associations, foundations and individuals award grants, whose criteria typically mirror those of the colleges that administer them.

If your family has a greater-than-average financial need and you are admitted to a college, you will probably be eligible for grants. Grants are easier to qualify for than scholarships, since financial need is usually considered before academic achievement. Since they don't have to be repaid, they are just about the most desirable form of aid. Nothing beats free money for college.

Have a great day and God bless!

Winning College Scholarships

The college students that win the most college scholarships may not have more positive qualities than you, but they use the following strategy to get noticed by the scholarship committees.

So do you want to know these strategies?

Prepare Yourself!

Things you need to do to prepare yourself for filling out college scholarships:

1. Prepare yourself with teachers recommendations.
2. High school, and college transcripts.
3. Get involved with community, family, and church.
4. Determine why you are unique and goals for your future.
5. Get a picture of yourself.
6. A clear binder or organization.
   

And get ready to spend some time on college scholarships that will help you afford college and keep you from taking out too many college loans.

Get Organized

Begin researching scholarships that match your criteria and once you have the college scholarships for which you want to apply, keep track of the deadlines.

Create a chart to keep on top of all dates to make sure you do not miss any deadlines.

The chart should include:

• Scholarship name and phone number
• Date application must be received by scholarship committee
• Date you requested the application
• Date you received the application
• Date application with above package was mailed
• Date you called the Scholarship Agency to verify they received your application package

Get Noticed

Being organized, prepared, and filling out all the scholarships correctly is important but if you are not recognized than all that work was for nothing.

Even if you feel you master the English language, your essay should be critique by someone who has experience in essay writing.

Asking an english professor, teacher or anyone you know that is a really affective reader and writer would be an excellent choice to read your essay.

Have a great day and God bless!

College Scholarships & Financial Aid Types

Let me break it down to you in 8 categories for you to show you that there are many other program out there that you can get money from.

Free Scholarship Lotteries

Several sites have started giving away scholarships to attract traffic. Website like iWon.com, Publisher's Clearinghouse, and Jackpot.com that give away millions of dollars a year.

The odds of your winning a free scholarship from these lotteries is usually less than 1 in 10,000. (If the scholarship lottery isn't well-publicized, the odds may drop to as low as 1 in 500.)

Federal and State Government Aid

This includes the FAFSA, student/parent loans, grants, and college student financial aid online.

Many colleges and universities, especially public institutions, also require the FAFSA. Filling out the FAFSA is the first thing everyone should do.

Grants are a form of financial aid, based on need, which you do not have to repay. Below, you will find links to a variety of grant resources online.

Undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships are forms of aid that help students pay for their education. Unlike student loans, scholarships and fellowships do not have to be repaid. Hundreds of thousands of scholarships and fellowships from several thousand sponsors are awarded each year.

The best way to find this free college scholarship and grants is to go on FastWeb.com.

There are so many program for college students to pay for scholarships and recieve money from college scholarships, grants, and loans.

Have a great day and God bless!

College Student Scholarship FastWeb

While beginning the process of filling all your college student information for scholarships that will apply for you the questions are simple and quick.

Throughout the series of questions there seemed to be a lot of advertising for other colleges and services like the army and airforce. There were even a lot of questions that were confusing and difficult for me to correctly answer.

When I was all done and through a page pops-up with job opportunities, scholarships, etc. with an easy way to control all your information. This website is one of the best resources for college students to search for loans, colleges, and scholarships.

I have visited many other websites and I believe now I have found one with trust worthy scholarships for college students in need for paying off tuition.

Have a great dat and God bless!

College Scholarship To Christian Leaders

This scholarship for college students is directed at college students that want to be involved with Christian leadership and the church.

This college scholarship has the potential of big, medium, and small donation to your education but will all be worth it in the end.

Our Mission Statement:
The purpose of the Foundation is to assist Christian individuals with identified leadership history, high academic achievement and financial need with academic, vocational and ministry training to further the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Guidelines: The following are the minimum guidelines that must be met before a candidate will be considered for scholarship:

1. Christian testimony, and verifiable Christian leadership.
2. Entering undergraduate studies, or currently attempting to attain a degree. (Occasionally we assist graduate level students who meet all other criteria).
3. 3.0 G.P.A. or better.
4. Financial need. Combined income of parents and student is below $60,000. Foundation students natural and step parent's incomes are included in that income ceiling.
5. Primary residence or attending college must be in “Southern California."
   

All of these forms as well as the information and documents referenced or requested in them must be received in one package by the deadline of May 7, 2007, in order for you to be considered.

If you are a college student looking for a college scholarship and are involved in the church or some sort of ministry than this could be your college scholarship.

Have a great day and God bless!

Choosing a College with Purpose

Why do people go to college? Is it for the education, experience, career opportunity or to find that special someone, etc.

College has many benefits to college students in search for a great life with a successful career that can be obtained through college.

Is it enough?

I have lived and experienced three colleges so far and all of them had similarites and differences that made them interesting. What do all these different colleges have to offer us though?

College Types

Community College

The community college is an excellent place to start your post-secondary education. You may choose to earn an associate degree or a certificate at a community college then enter the workplace, or you might go on to a bachelor's degree by transferring to a four-year institution.

Reasons for choosing to attend a community college are as varied as individuals. Low tuition, convenient locations, open admissions and comprehensive course offerings are highly persuasive factors in students' personal calculations.

Four-Year College & University

Four-year colleges and universities offer bachelor's degrees in a variety fields of study. Most also offer graduate programs with opportunities to earn a master's degree, doctorate, or professional degree. The curriculum is usually broader than a two-year school.

Public colleges and universities are subsidized by tax money from the state in which they are located and are generally less expensive than private colleges. However, the low rates are normally available only to residents of the state. Out-of-staters, or non-residents, usually pay higher rates. They also may have limited financial aid funds for students.

Private colleges, on the other hand, are funded through endowments, tuition, and donations. The cost of attending a private college is usually higher than a public university. But don't rule private school out only because of cost! Private colleges often offer financial aid options that make their cost feasible.

Liberal Arts Colleges

Liberal arts colleges offer a broad base of courses in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Most are private and focus mainly on undergraduate students. Classes tend to be small and personal attention is available.

Whatever college you choose make sure it is the one for you and the has a purpose for your future.

Have a great day and God bless!

Eating Healthy Tips for College Students

The average college student is often pressed for time, under a lot of stress and eating on the go. You may find it difficult to avoid bad habits that keep you from weight loss like skipping meals or frequenting fast food restaurants. But eating a healthy diet can help you feel better, cope with stress and perform better in the class-room and on the athletic field. It really isn't that hard to get started.

Eat a good breakfast.

Studies show that skipping breakfast detracts from scholastic achievement. When there isn't time to sit down and enjoy your morning meal, grab a bagel, piece of fruit, and some juice. Most of these items can be easily stored in your dorm room.

Fast Food

If you must eat fast foods, choose wisely. Choose pizza with half the cheese, a regular size roast beef sandwich, baked potato, or green salad with reduced calorie dressing. Limit high fat offering like french fries, fried chicken or fish sandwiches and watch out for salad dressing.

Healthy Snacks

Keep healthful snacks on hand so if hunger strikes during a late night study session, you won't be tempted by vending machine candy, chips, or ice cream. Possibilities include fresh or dried fruit, pretzels, unbuttered popcorn, rice cakes or whole wheat cracker. If you have a refrigerator, consider raw vegetables with low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese dip.

Calcium

Eat plenty of foods that are rich in calcium. People in their early twenties need to be build up stores of calcium in their bodies to prevent osteoporosis in later life. If you don't like milk, try to include ample amounts of low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese, and green leafy vegetables in your diet.

Weight Loss Healthy

If you need to lose weight, do it sensibly. Starvation and/or diets that offer a quick fix usually backfire and are harmful. There is not truth to the theories that suggest eating foods in any particular combination will promote weight loss. The only safe way to lose weight, feel good while doing it, and keep it off is to eat a balanced diet.

Limit Sugar

Sugar provides calories in your diet but few other nutrients and it contributes significantly to tooth decay. Use it sparingly and consider sweetening coffee, tea, cereal and fruit with diet sweeteners instead.

Salad Eating Healthy

The dining hall salad bar can be either an asset or a detriment to you diet depending on how you choose from it. Of course, leafy greens, raw vegetable and fresh fruit are beneficial. But if you choose lot of creamy dressing, bacon bit, and mayonnaise based salads, the calories and fat may equal or even exceed those of a burger and fries.

Alcohol Amount

If you drink alcohol, keep in mind that it supplies calories but no nutritional value. A light beer, a glass of wine, or an ounce of liquor each has about 100 calories. There are also many health problems associated with drinking alcohol.

Drink lots of water

Your body needs at least eight glasses a day, and if you exercise vigorously, you may need more. To remind yourself, carry a water bottle along to class and keep it handy during late night study sessions.

Enjoy it!

Remember, food is a lot more than nourishment for our bodies. Enjoy and savor it.

For more information on weight loss and eating healthy go to top weight loss site and turn all the heads at your college.

Have a great day and God bless!

College Freshmen 15

Eating disorders and over eating are fairly common on college campuses throughout the world. Seeking weight loss has become a struggle for college students without the proper knowledge.

A new study suggests that weight gained by freshmen is real; and that it may contribute to the problem. The "freshman 15" refers to the idea that freshmen college students - especially female students - gain 15 pounds during their freshman year of college because of unhealthy eating.

What needs to happen for this to change?

Eating Healthy

Making sure to eat small frequent meals from whole foods are important for a balance amount of vitamins and minerals.

Some times college food can become expensive so going for all the cheap choices have become quite popular. Instead of eating a lot of fatting foods try to eat as much fruits, vegetables, and meats as you can without packing in the fat.

Exercise

Getting frequent exercise is important as it will curve your appetite, burn more calories, and raise your metabolism. Most college have a workout area or gym so try to do some weight training or go take a run outside when it's nice out.

Sometimes eating healthy is difficult so try to get as much exercise as possible.

Think Active & Healthy

Develop activities that are active and you will have fun doing. Taking a walk with friends, playing basketball, etc. are excellent activities that will keep your metabolism burning calories all day long.

Learn to think about what you eat and what you will be doing for the next three to four hours. By thinking ahead it will help you make better food choices while eating according to what you will be doing later.

For more information on weight loss go to top weight loss site and find all the answers you need.

Have a great day and God bless!

Life Pacific College

"Called To A Higher Standard"

"A Foundation of Faith"

"Realizing You Can Change The World"

"A Tradition of Excellence"

What is your purpose in life?

Life Pacific College is the bible college I was called to last year and has been the best choice in my entire life I have made as a college student.

This christian college is a Foursquare domination but has many students from all sorts of background and domination. The community, friendship, growth, and life changing experiences we have at Life Pacific College is nothing anywhere I have ever been before.

I love everything about this college and can't wait to wake up each morning in hopes that God will teach me something new each day.
Benefits of Life Pacific College:

1) Incredible professors and classes

2) Friendships stronger than ever

3) Experiencing what God has planed for your life

4) Beautiful environment

5) And of course, 30 to 45 minutes away from the beach and disneyland!

Finding a college and a christian college that you want to spend two to four years of your life can become a struggle but it is something most college students have to go through.

I encourage you to grab more information about Life Pacific College because it is my favorite place in the whole world and hopefully it will be yours too.

You can visit it by going to Life Pacific College and experence for yourself the awesome and life changing college experience you can discover.

Have a great day and God bless!